The geomagnetic field

The earth has a core made up largely of iron, heated to the extent that some of it is liquid. As the earth rotates, the iron flows in complex ways. It is thought that this flow is responsible for the huge magnetic field that surrounds the earth. The sun has a magnetic field, as does the whole Milky Way galaxy. These fields might have originally magnetized the earth.

Geomagnetic poles and axis

The geomagnetic field, as it is called, has poles, just as a bar magnet does. These poles are near, but not at, the geographic poles. The north geomagnetic pole is located in the frozen island region of northern Canada. The south geomagnetic pole is near Antarctica. The geomagnetic axis is somewhat tilted relative to the axis on which the earth rotates. Not only this, but it does not exactly run through the center of the earth. It’s like an apple core that’s off center.